Our Opinion: Downtown fixture Solenberger will be missed

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The State Journal-Register

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Posted Jan. 20, 2014 at 1:03 AM

Posted Jan. 20, 2014 at 1:03 AM

One of the great things about living in a mid-sized community like Springfield is how easy it is for people become familiar with one another — the tellers at the bank, the checkers at the market, the kids’ baseball coaches, mail carriers, neighbors, friends and friends of friends.

Sometimes, a person becomes familiar — cherished, in fact — just by going about his everyday business. Such was the case with Jim Solenberger.

Solenberger was a fixture around downtown Springfield for years. He lived on the east side and traveled Capitol Avenue twice a day every day on his motorized scooter to and from his job at the Illinois State Library. He always sported a red crash helmet, and he traveled that way regardless of the weather conditions.

Solenberger had cerebral palsy. He was born and raised in Springfield, graduated from Springfield High School, had a master’s degree in library science from the University of Illinois, and he retired from the state library in 2011 after 34 years there.

SJ-R columnist Dave Bakke got to know Solenberger and wrote about him several times through the years. Last week, he let readers know Solenberger died Jan. 7 from health complications.

Thousands of people read Bakke’s column online, and many shared it with their friends on social media. Readers who were familiar with Solenberger felt compelled to comment about him.

“He was the nicest and most sincere fellow I’ve ever met! He’s not only a great storyteller, he was a great listener as well. We will miss you, Jim Solenberger,” one commenter said.

“My 9 year old daughter noticed him and it was her quest to find out about him,” another commenter recalled. “She would look on the streets every time we were passing through downtown to see if she could spot him. She’d often ask if I knew him. She wanted to meet him. She ran up to him downtown one day and said hello. She said he was very nice.”

“Jim was such a warm and wonderful person. Those of us that worked with him remember him with a smile,” another commenter wrote.

Solenberger may not have known how many people saw him, remembered him and felt a connection with him. But, clearly, he will be missed.